Liam Payne’s $32 Million Estate Goes to His Ex

Seven months after his tragic balcony fall, One Direction star Liam Payne‘s substantial fortune has found a temporary guardian.

The late musician’s former girlfriend, Cheryl, has been officially appointed administrator of his multi-million dollar holdings, according to legal documentation issued May 1 and reviewed by People magazine. Court records confirm that the British pop star, who died last October in Argentina without leaving a will, possessed assets valued at approximately $38 million gross and $32.2 million net within the United Kingdom, the outlet reports.

Cheryl, 41, with whom Payne shared an 8-year-old son named Bear, will manage these financial matters alongside attorney Richard Mark Bray. However, their oversight comes with significant restrictions, as the BBC indicates, they “cannot distribute” the funds and currently operate with “limited authority” while the court makes final determinations about the estate’s ultimate fate.

British inheritance laws typically direct that when someone dies without a formal will, their estate passes to their lawful spouse or nearest blood relative. The BBC notes that in circumstances where there is no husband, wife, or civil partner, children normally inherit the entirety of the estate.

The former couple’s relationship spanned approximately two years, beginning in 2016 and concluding in 2018, with their son arriving in 2017. Though their romantic connection ended years ago, Cheryl issued a heartfelt public statement following Payne’s passing, characterizing it as an “earth-shattering event” and reminding the public of the human dimension of the tragedy.

“Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son,” she wrote in part, adding that their child “now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again,” imploring fans to allow Payne “the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last,” as quoted by People.

At the time of his death, Payne had been in a relationship with influencer Kate Cassidy for approximately two years. In a March television appearance on the UK program Lorraine, Cassidy expressed her ongoing struggle with the loss, saying, “I’m still working on accepting the fact that he’s not here anymore, so it’s hard for me to refer to him in the past tense.”

The “Strip That Down” vocalist’s sister, Ruth Gibbins, marked the six-month anniversary of his passing with an emotional Instagram tribute in April, writing, “I can’t process what’s happened and the finality of it, you know I will never stop doing all I can for you. I miss you loudly, quietly and in all the moments in between.”